Environmental Studies and Sciences

Director: Frank T. Kuserk

The environmental studies and sciences program at Moravian College acquaints students with the myriad environmental issues that face us today. It seeks to develop a framework in which students can work closely with faculty and one another to analyze problems, test assumptions, and debate issues as they affect our lives as citizens of our community, our nation, and the world. The perspective we seek to develop is strongly interdisciplinary, incorporating the natural sciences as well as economics, history, philosophy, and political science. In addition, it is designed to transcend national boundaries. All students in the program, regardless of their area of concentration, will share important common experiences, including a unique capstone course in which they will work in teams to investigate environmental issues.

Students who pursue environmental majors at Moravian have the option of earning either a B.S. in environmental science or a B.A. in environmental policy and economics. All students in both majors will have a shared body of knowledge through common coursework before the upper-level courses in their respective tracks, and through the capstone seminar course, which B.S. and B.A. students will take in combined sections. The balance of shared experience and field-specific knowledge is designed to foster cooperative work and learning among students and faculty.

Coursework

As prerequisites to the program, all students must take Economics 152 and a course in statistics (Mathematics 107 or Economics 156), preferably before the spring term of the sophomore year.

The Common Environmental Studies and Sciences Core

Students in both tracks are required to take six course units in a common core of study. Five courses are designed to create a foundation that fosters understanding of this interdisciplinary field. The final writing-intensive course, which should be taken in the senior year, is intended specifically to teach and demonstrate research methods through integrative group research projects and presentations.

All students majoring in environmental studies and sciences must take the following courses in the common environmental studies core.

Environmental 110
Environmental 112

Introduction to Environmental Studies orEnvironmental Science

Earth Science 110

Introductory Geology

Economics 240

Environmental Economics

Political Science 237

Public Policy and Administration

Philosophy 250

Environmental Philosophy

Environmental 370

Environmental Studies Seminar

The B.S. Track in Environmental Science

Students in the B.S. track in environmental science must take the following six courses in addition to those in the core.

Biology 112

General Zoology

or Biology 119

Introductory Botany

Biology 360

Ecology

Chemistry 113-114

General Chemistry I and II

Chemistry 205

Environmental Chemistry

Earth Science 210

Introductory Geographic Information Systems

Students in the environmental science track must also complete at least two of the following.

Biology 225

Invertebrate Zoology

Biology 235

Microbiology

Biology 240

Biology of Mammals

Biology 250

Animal Behavior

Chemistry 211

Organic Chemistry I

Chemistry 212

Organic Chemistry II

Chemistry 222

Quantitative Analysis

Earth Science 120

Meteorology

Physics 109

Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences I

Physics 110

Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences II

Physics 111

Introductory Physics I

Physics 112

Introductory Physics II

Environmental 286,
381-384

Independent Study

Environmental 288,
386-388

Internship

Environmental 400-401

Honors

Appropriate advanced courses offered as special topics or by other LVAIC institutions may be substituted as electives with the prior approval of the program director.

The B.A. Track in Environmental Policy and Economics

Students who intend to pursue the B.A. track in environmental policy and economics must take the following three courses in addition to those in the core.

Economics 241

Natural Resource Management

Political Science 240

Environmental Policy

Political Science 340

Energy Policy

They must also take two of the following electives:

Economics 228

Economic Development

Economics 330

Public Finance

Economics 336

International Economics

Earth Science 210

Introductory Geographic Information Systems

History 260

Environmental History

Political Science 110

The American Political System

Political Science 115

International Politics: How the World Works

Sociology 312

Environmental Law

Environmental 286,
381-384

Independent Study

Environmental 288,
386-388

Internship

Environmental 400-401

Honors

Appropriate advanced courses offered as special topics or by other LVAIC institutions may be substituted as electives with the prior approval of the program director.

A cooperative program with Duke University in natural resource management is available. Please see the section on Natural Resource Management in this catalog.

The Minor in Environmental Science

The minor in Environmental Science consists of five (5) courses including ENVR 110 (Introduction to Environmental Studies) OR ENVR 112 (Environmental Science)[1],[2] plus four (4) additional science courses currently approved for the Environmental Science (B.S.) major. These courses are to be selected by the student in consultation with and approved by the Director of the Environmental Studies & Sciences Program. At least three of these courses must be taken at Moravian or through cross registration at other LVAIC institutions. These courses can be from one department or selected from a number of different departments. At least two courses should be numbered 210 or above (excluding 300-309). In seeking to establish a minor, a student may count a course only once. For example, a student majoring in Environmental Policy & Economics may not count Introductory Geology (EASC 110) for both the major and a minor in Environmental Science. An alternate course must be substituted for the minor.

Courses that may be used to fulfill the Minor in Environmental Science:

Biology 112

General Zoology

Biology 119

Introductory Botany

Biology 225

Invertebrate Zoology

Biology 230

Field Botany

Biology 235

Microbiology

Biology 240

Biology of Mammals

Biology 250

Animal Behavior

Biology 360

Ecology

Chemistry 113

General Chemistry I

Chemistry 114

General Chemistry II

Chemistry 205

Environmental Chemistry

Chemistry 211

Organic Chemistry I

Chemistry 212

Organic Chemistry II

Chemistry 222

Quantitative Analysis

Earth Science 110

Introductory Geology

Earth Science 120

Meteorology

Earth Science 210

Introductory Geographic Information Systems

Environmental 286

Independent Study

Environmental 288

Internship

Environmental 381-384

Independent Study

Environmental 386-389

Internship

Physics 109

Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences I

Physics 110

Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences II

Physics 111

Introductory Physics I

Physics 112

Introductory Physics II

Appropriate special topics courses and advanced courses offered by LVAIC institutions may be substituted with the prior approval of the Environmental Studies & Sciences Program Director.

The Minor in Environmental Policy & Economics

The minor in Environmental Policy & Economics consists of five (5) courses including ENVR 110 (Introduction to Environmental Studies) OR ENVR 112 (Environmental Science), Economics 240 or 241, plus three (3) additional science courses currently approved for the Environmental Policy & Economics (B.A.) major, of which at least one must be a course in economics. These courses are to be selected by the student in consultation with and approved by the Director of the Environmental Studies & Sciences Program. At least three of these courses must be taken at Moravian or through cross registration at other LVAIC institutions. These courses can be from one department or selected from a number of different departments. At least two courses should be numbered 210 or above (excluding 300-309). In seeking to establish a minor, a student may count a course only once. For example, a student majoring in Environmental Science may not count Environmental Economics (ECON 240) for both the major and a minor in Environmental Policy & Economics. An alternate course must be substituted for the minor.

Courses that may be used to fulfill the Minor in Environmental Policy & Economics:

Earth Science 210

Introductory Geographic Information Systems

Economics 152

Principles of Economics

Economics 228

Economic Development

Economics 236

International Economics

Economics 240

Environmental Economics

Economics 241

Natural Resource Economics & Policy

Economics 330

Public Finance

Environmental 286

Independent Study

Environmental 288

Internship

Environmental 370

Environmental Studies Seminar

Environmental 381-384

Independent Study

Environmental 386-389

Internship

Political Science 110

The American Political System

Political Science 115

International Politics: How the World Works

Political Science 237

Public Administration and Public Policy

Political Science 240

Environmental Policy

Political Science 340

Topics in Political Science: Energy Policy

Sociology 312

Environmental Law

Appropriate special topics courses and advanced courses offered by LVAIC institutions may be substituted with the prior approval of the Environmental Studies & Sciences Program Director.

Courses

110. Introduction to Environmental Studies. Introduction to the principles of ecology and the relationship of humans to their environment. Emphasis on scientific, social, philosophical, and economic factors related to global environmental issues. Topics include agriculture and food production, water and air pollution, energy use and its environmental effects, toxic waste, and renewable/nonrenewable resources. Prerequisites: Not open to students who have completed Environmental 112. (M5)Staff

112. Environmental Science. Introduces non-major students to fundamental principles of ecology and the relationship of humans to their environment. Topics include agriculture and food production, water and air pollution, energy use and associated environmental effects, toxic waste, and renewable/nonrenewable resources. Prerequisites: Not open to students who have completed Environmental 110. (F4) Husic, Kuserk

370. Environmental Studies Seminar. Designed to apply research methods to current environmental issues. Students will research and present written and oral reports on the general topic. Emphasis is on the development of skills in using primary literature, analysis and interpretation of data, and the communication of ideas. Writing-intensive. Staff

190-199, 290-299, 390-399. Special Topics.

286, 381-384. Independent Study.

288, 386-388. Internship.

400-401. Honors.

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